January 21, 2007

Wind Harvest's "Wind News"
A compilation of story leads from around the world.
By:  Kevin Wolf <kwolf@windharvest.com>

Note:  These story titles and lead paragraphs predominantly come from Energy Central's daily posting of the world's energy stories. Others are sent to me by subscribers of Wind News.  Energy Central requires paid membership to read full stories.  You can often paste the headline into Google and find the original source of the story. You are welcome to share this with others. This is a free service from Wind Harvest.   Thank you. Kevin
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 AWEA Legislative Action Alert

Production Tax Credit Long-Term Extension- Tell your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 197 to extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC)     <http://capwiz.com/windenergy/utr/1/JLMLGPOBQQ/LZIUGPOBWI/1021812011>

Take Action!

Please contact your Representative and ask him or her to cosponsor H.R. 197, a bill sponsored by Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) that will extend the PTC for an additional 5 years.

The Production Tax Credit (PTC) is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2008.  The bill, H.R. 197, will extend the PTC through December 31, 2013. The American Wind Energy Association continues to pursue a long-term extension of the PTC.  A long-term extension is necessary for the industry to build a supply chain, ramp up production, and create more manufacturing jobs in the U.S.

Please write to your Representative and ask them to cosponsor this legislation.
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WIND FARM TO INCREASE OUTPUT

  An energy company is looking to quadruple the output of a ten-
  year-old wind farm.German-owned E.ON UK, which runs the four
  turbines at Great Eppleton, near Hetton-le-Hole, is seeking
  planning permission from Sunderland City Council to replace the
  existing machines.
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CRITIC CALLS TURBINES UNFIT NEIGHBORS: NOISE LEVELS, SHADOWS CITED
AS REASONS TO REJECT WIND FARM

  An energy and environmental consultant hired by opponents of the
  proposed White Oak Wind Energy Center maintains Invenergy Wind LLC
  fails to meet several requirements for a special-use permit for
  the wind farm.
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ALLIANZ ACQUIRES TWO GERMAN WIND FARMS

  German insurance giant Allianz has signed its third joint
  transaction with WKN Windkraft to purchase two wind farms in Germany.
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BP PLANS CONSTRUCTION OF FIVE US WIND PROJECTS IN 2007; PROJECTS
BUILD ON EARLIER GROWTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

  BP Alternative Energy North  America Inc. today announced that it
  expects to begin construction on five  wind power generation
  projects in the US in 2007.  Located in four states --
  California, Colorado, North Dakota and Texas -- the projects are
  expected to  deliver a combined generation capacity of some 550 megawatts (MW).
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CHINA RAISES ITS TARGET FOR WIND-POWER GROWTH

  China, the world's biggest energy consumer after the United
  States, plans to invest 45.6 billion yuan, or $5.8 billion, to
  more than triple its wind-power electricity generation capacity by
  2010, an energy industry official said.
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DEER ISLE: WINDS OF CHANGE MOVING HANCOCK COUNTY TURBINES

  As one wind power project in Hancock County comes to an end,
  another is beginning. Meanwhile, a Portland-based company is
  researching the possibility of locating a wind turbine in Deer Isle.
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INVENERGY SPEAKS AT PUBLIC HEARING

  Invenergy representatives got a chance Tuesday to talk about the
  company and tell why they want to build a 100-turbine wind farm in
  McLean and Woodford counties.
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WINDS OF CHANGE FAN OPPOSITION: RESIDENTS' GROUP DIFFERS WITH PLAN
FOR RURAL TURBINES

  Cindy Lorimor won't have any of the proposed White Oak Wind Energy
  Center turbines on her rural Carlock property, but they will
  surround it.
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INVENERGY WIND LLC COMMENCES CONSTRUCTION ON AN 130.5 MEGAWATT,
TEXAS-BASED WIND FARM

  Invenergy Wind LLC, through one of its wholly owned subsidiaries,
  is adding 130.5 megawatts to its growing wind energy portfolio
  with  the development of the Camp Springs Wind Energy Center in
  Scurry  County, Texas.
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AVIARY TRACKING RAPTORS TO FIND SAFE SITES FOR WIND TURBINES

  Two golden eagles that soared along the Allegheny Front ridge in
  Central Pennsylvania late last year and are now gliding over the
  hills of West Virginia and Kentucky might one day help determine
  where new windmills will be built in Pennsylvania and elsewhere in
  the East.
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WIND FARM TO BE BUILT IN AUSTRALIA

  TrustPower, the fifth-largest power retailer in New Zealand, will
  begin construction of a 200 million New Zealand dollar, or $138
  million, wind farm in the state of South Australia in April.
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COAST TURBINES ARE ALL AT SEA; WIND FARM IS BRANDED A 'TOTAL FAILURE'

  The owners of a troubled wind farm project which has been at a
  standstill for 10 months say they are now considering taking the
  controversial turbines down.
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From Refocus Weekly

EU WANTS RADICAL SHIFT TOWARDS RENEWABLES
BRUSSELS, Belgium, January 17, 2007 (Refocus Weekly) Europe wants a radical shift towards renewable energy and the European Commission has urged its members to support a common energy policy that diversifies the continent's sources of energy.
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SCOTTISH AGENCY INVESTS IN CLIMBING FRAME TO MAINTAIN WIND TURBINES
ABERDEEN, Scotland, January 17, 2007 (Refocus Weekly) A research agency in Scotland will support development of a 'monkey-like' device that can reduce the cost of installing wind turbines.
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EUROPE TO MISS GREEN POWER TARGET
BRUSSELS, Belgium, January 17, 2007 (Refocus Weekly) Europe will generate 19% of its electricity from renewable energies by 2010, missing its target of 21%, according to the European Commission.
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From Refocus Weekly's News in Brief - January 17, 2007

- The San Miguel Power Association in Colorado wants to sell 20% of its electricity from renewables by the end of 2009. It also wants to have 80% of its 12,000 customers consume at least one 100 kWh block of green power per month by the same time. The local distribution utility was urged by its members to take advantage of a new green power premium offered by its supplier, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, which dropped by half on January 1 to $1.25 per block.
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Powering on with island wind plan
Wind turbines
The council hopes to see a major harnessing of wind power
Shetland is bidding to become Scotland's renewable energy powerhouse with plans to build one of the world's largest community wind farms.

Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) signed a partnership agreement with Shetland Islands Council on Friday.

The project, which depends on planning permission and a seabed cable, would see the building of a 200-turbine farm.

It would produce about 600 megawatts, which SSE said would be enough to power a quarter of all Scotland's homes.
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VailMountain - 100% Powered By Wind.
http://vail.snow.com/winter/gl.aboutvail.environment.asp

Vail Resorts is leading the travel industry in reducing its dependence on fossil fuels by choosing wind power. As the second largest company in the country to use 100 percent wind power, we continue to strengthen our commitment to the environment. Each year, we purchase 152,000 megawatt-hours of wind credits to offset 100% of our electricity use. This decision reduces over 211 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year, which is the same as removing 18,000 cars from the road. Vail Resorts' long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship encompasses multiple initiatives such as energy and water conservation, water quality management, waste reduction and recycling, air and visual quality, wildlife habitat management, and education and outreach. We encourage our guests to also be good stewards of the environment and respect the mountains in which we all recreate and enjoy.